


Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

by kooili



Category: Holby City
Genre: Berena Appreciation Week 2018, F/F, Humor, Meta, Prompt: Breakup, day three, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 20:13:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15692574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kooili/pseuds/kooili
Summary: Interior, Bernie and Serena's office, evening. Bernie has some bad news to break and Serena can't change her mind. It's just not in the script.





	Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Serena took a step forward, her heart pounding as she searched Bernie’s eyes for a sign, something that would give her the courage to make that final move. Her eyes darted desperately as she held back, unsure whether to move forward or pull away.

“Obviously, I couldn’t, well, I wouldn’t try to stand in your way. If it’s what you really...really want.”

“Uhm..”  Bernie mumbled, tossing the folder in her hand onto the desk and closing the gap between them.

Serena willed her voice to stay steady as she composed her next words. “It’s just that…” She stuttered, the sound of her heartbeat flooding her senses. 

“I…”

The single vowel hung in the air and they were both certain it was the other one who spoke it. They were well into in each other’s personal space by now. Serena took a step closer, eyes glued, unwavering before deciding to let go and surge forward. But she found herself held by the shoulders and being gently kept upright. Bernie had pulled away, her hands outstretched, keeping Serena at an arm’s length. 

“Serena, I’m sorry. I think the prospect of me leaving has just put too much pressure on us.”

The reaction was instantaneous. “No, it’s just made me realise that I don’t want you to go.”

It took all the restraint Bernie could muster to keep from folding Serena into her arms and changing her mind. 

“That’s what you  _ don’t _ want. You need time and space to decide what you  _ do _ want.” Her voice was surprisingly calm considering the turmoil of emotions bombarding her gut.

She just about managed it by pulling away in an excuse to collect her bag. “I know I don’t want to hurt you.” Her voice was close to cracking by now. She hefted the leather strap across her shoulder, turned and strode through the doorway. 

“No, Bernie, please don’t do this.” Serena followed closely behind, her eyes watery but determined. “I could come and see you. We could meet halfway, right?”

Bernie spun round and stared. The effort of trying so hard to do the right thing and make it work somehow finally pushed her off the edge.

“No.”

There was a beat, a moment of silence before Bernie continued.

“I’ve changed my mind. I’m not going.” 

Serena’s eyes widened at her declaration. Bernie let her bag fall in a whomph on the floor and wrapped her arms around the other woman’s back, pulling her in for a long, breath-stealing kiss. They finally pulled apart, both women evidently breathless and distracted.

“What do you say we call it an early night and head back home instead,” Serena murmured, pulling Bernie back in for another searing kiss. They were both well lost in it when a sharp voice interrupted.

“No, no. Cut. Stop.”

They finally pulled apart, not before lightly brushing their noses together. Serena straightened herself before turning towards the young man striding towards them, a dark grey beret perched jauntily on his head.

Serena greeted him with a sweet smile. “Is there a problem, Mr Copeland?” 

Dominic rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air. “Yes. That’s not what’s in the script and you know it. Look…” He pulled out his own copy and started reading from it.  _ “You,” _ he said, indicating to Bernie, “are supposed to tell her that she needs to know what she wants instead of what she doesn’t. After which,” he continued, turning to Serena,  _ “you _ fail to change her mind and end up moping in the office instead.”

“Yes, we’ve read the script, Dom, “ Bernie acknowledged, slipping an arm around Serena’s waist, leaning up against her wife. “It just doesn’t seem…” She hesitated, searching for the right word before deciding on one. “Plausible.”

Dominic frowned in confusion. “Not plausible? But this was written by...”

Serena rolled her eyes and drawled, “Yes, yes. Your friend’s a successful assistant writer for a West End production and we’re very fortunate that she’s letting us perform an am-dram version of her sketch for charity.”

“Yes,” Dom nodded, his eyes brightening. “She’s doing me a huge favour so can we try our best to do her writing some justice? The performance is only ten days away.” 

Bernie was about to sigh resignedly when Serena tightened her own grip on Bernie’s shoulder and stopped her. “I think we’d do it more justice with a few small changes.”

“Like what?” Dominic asked cautiously.

Bernie cleared her throat, answering immediately. “I don’t understand why she’d decide to accept a temporary job offer instead of working things out with her partner now that they definitely know they fancy each other.” She turned at looked at Serena who nodded in agreement. 

“It’s called drama, angst…”

“Oh piffle,” Serena interjected with a snort. “It doesn’t make any sense, if that’s what you mean. Two gorgeous women who’ve spent huge amounts of time together working and bonding, discovering mutual attraction. They snog.“ Serena flipped through her copy of the script to confirm. “Twice. And the logical conclusion is to break them up and send her,” she waved a hand at Bernie,”to a different country six thousand miles away. Really?”  

Bernie pulled Serena in and placed a kiss on her forehead, a gleeful smile on her face.

Dom paused, the look on his face a less certain than it was a few minutes ago. “I suppose I could speak to Michelle and see if there’s room for some changes to be made.”

Serena nodded and rewarded him with a wide smile. “Yes, Mr Copeland. This isn’t soap opera, after all, is it?”


End file.
